The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-25
BEFORE THE RED MEN LEFT
RecOllectiOns of the Time When Savages
ROamed Around Indianapolis.
Habits and characteristics of the Delawares
Agent Corners Novel Method of Pay
ing the Indians Their Annuities.


ticn of Indiana probably the Oldest residing
here is Mr.. Robert B. Duncan. He came with
his parents to Corners Station, some sixteen
miles above Indianapolis, White river. in the
y ear 1920, and became thoroughly acquainted
wi tn the central region while is in its
primeval wilderness state. The Indians who
lived in this vicinity moved away in 1922 and 3,
but Mr. Duncan was boy of ten years when he
came, and as, from a natural fondpess for wood
craft, he found coneenial playmates among the
Indian boys while they remained, he became
quite well acquainted with their manner of life.
The memories Of the wild neighbors of his boy
hood have rem aiued with him through lis active
professional life and chatting with him a few
evenings since a Journal reporter found him
treasury of information as 10 the aborigines OF
this region.
what Indian tribes lived here7' asked the re-
porter
"Oniy Delawares; there were other tribes
above here, and several different ones along the
Wabash. The Delawares had fixed village
ut Indianapolis, but they had a camping place
on Pleasant run. in the southern border of the
city, on what was formerly called the Sanders
place, now known as the Bergemyer farm.
They used to hunt along the river. and they
would camp far enough away to avoid disturbing
Delaware Camp for many years"
did these Indians practice agricultureP
'.Not very much. They lived almost wholly
by the chase or course. the squaws used to
raise little corn and some vegetables, but the
onlv Indian knew of who supported himself by
farming was a man named Owl, who lived
the farm now owned by AID Harris about twelve
miles north of here. He had twenty or thirty
acres of land under cultivation, and raised some
chickens and hogs"
"Did they use firearms for hunting2"
Eyes; at least the Indian men did. The boys
used to hunt with bows and arrows, They were
very skillful, and used TO kill rabbits. squirrels,
birds and other small game They also shot
good many fish with their arrows. The streams
were full of fish then. One of the settlers
brought q seine to Corners Hole Ia deep place
In the river short distance below Conner's Sta
tion), and in one haul he took out a load for
four horse wagon. The seine so full that it
could not be pulled ont until part of the fish had
been removed They threw away stack of CARS as
large as a hay-cock. Nothing would eat gar
sou have probably heard the expression, as
mean as CARS broth'-but in early times. when
iron was scarce, the settlers used
TO cover the mold boards of their
plows with the skins of these fsh,
which are very tough. and served the purpose
fairly well. The Indian boys, as was saying,
used TO shoot fish on the ripples. They went in
parties and when one struck fish the others
would run to it and shoot at it They generally
succeeded in getting several arrows into 1t, and
secured il before it could reach deep water. The
Indians did not shoot as well with a gun as the
white men. The reason was that they had very
little ammunition, and could not waste II shoot
ing for practice. In fact. ammunition was
scarce with everyone l have killed more deer
In this region than any man now living, but
never shot at q deer running because could kill
plenty Of them standing, and did not want to
waste powder and lead"
ibid the Indians use stone arrow-heads for
their arrowsp
mot a. that time. The BOYS used to make
blunt arrows that they killed birds and squirrels
with. For shooting fish they used iron arrow
heads that they obtained from the whites
Judge Finch's father, who understood all sorts
of mechanical work, used to make arrow heads
for them, and also mend the guns of the older
Indians"
what domestic animals had they2"
"They had a good many ponies. They were
very fond of racing, and used to run their ponies
often. They also had many dogs. These were
wolfsh looking animals. of all colors and sizes
The Indians used them for hunting. but the
whites could do nothing< with them. They
couldn't make them understand. When the In
dans moved away they lost great many of
their dogs. They got separated and wandered
back to the ueighborhood of the old villages.
We found them in our corn fields and shot them.
They would eat corn just like hog when they
were hungry"
did the Indians ever have ckils and fever2"
az never knew them to. They had some little
sickness, but the only treatment that they used
was sweating They used to dig little trench
lin the ground, build fire in it and heat a num-
der OF stones red hot. While these were heat
ing they would beud saplings down the
place and cover them with blankets or skins
as to make a little hut They would inside
of this, put some Kind of weeds the stones.
and then pour on water. Then they would
huddle down in the steam that arose, and after
n time would run to their wigwans, roll up in
blankets and sweat. / knew of them
taking any medicine but presume they did. as
they knew the uses of herbs and roots. The
medicine men were their priests well as doc
tors, and they had many superstitions. l never
knew an Indian to kill snake, and the whites
understood that they had some religious preju-
dice against killing There
old Frenchman, named Joan Bap-
tiste Pruitt or Bruitt who lived
across the river from the Owl He had been
among the Indians for long time, and he used
herb medicines. / asked him one day how he
kept well when he hunted and fshsd so much in
the fall. He pointed out some weeds that ne
said he took for purge. and others that he
took for emetic After this treatment he
said he jumped into the river and washed him
self, and then wrapped up in his blankets and
sweat, and he never trou bled by sick
ness This man had a white wife. who was cap
tured by the Indians when she was little girl.
and raised by them. Her relatives found her
afterwards, and took her home, but she would
not stay with them."
ibid they practice polygamy1'
"Yes, 1t was quite common, both for Indians
and outsiders who lived with them. There was
q runaway Kentucky negro named Bill Allen,
who lived with the Delawares. and had three
wives. William Marshall had three wives also.
He Eastern man who had lived among
them all his life. and adopted all their habits.
He told me once about going to sleep in the
woods and waking just in time to see a wild cat
preparing TO leap at him. He killed ii, and said
he had several good meals from it.
They were not particular about their eating,
then2
mo, indeed! think they were the nastiest
people / ever What worse, it
breach of etiquette to refuse TO eat with them.
They would eat a half-do times in close
cessiou. il you asked them and they would be
angry with you if you did not when they
asked you | once went to the hut of old
Indian who lived at Corners Station, and found
him boiling some venison. / looked at the pot
and saw the maggots rolling up in the water like
beans. and got away from there in a hurry
for fear he would invite me eat"
They must have been able to eat great
amount"